Safety device for food choppers



` J. C. STEINER SAFETY DEVICE FOR FOOD CHOPPERS April 14, 1925.

Filed March A14. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 4 ArraR/yg v5 April 14, 1925. 1,533,217

J. C. STEINER SAFETY DEVICE FOR FOOD CHOPPERS Filed March 14. 1924 2 sheetshaet 2 .EFE-LIZ A rra/WYE V5 ittatented Apr. ld, i925@ nire STATE JOSEPH C. STEINER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

i SAFETY DEVICE FOR F4301) CHOPPERS.

Application ined Marea 14, ieee. sel-iai No, 699,237.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it 1Known that i, JOsnrH C. Srmnnr., a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of the city of St. Louis, in the State of ldissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Food Choppers, of 'which the following 1s a full, clear, and exact description reference beine' had to the accomnan Vcho oued is beine introduced into said food chopper. y My improved safety device is par ticularly intended for use with a food chop- .'per of the type having a Worin feed `which forces the food through apertures in Va disk, whereby said foodis disintegrated.

As is Weil known, food choppers ofthe type suggested above in a great number of eases are power driven, and because of this fact serious accidents have occurred due to the operators fingers being caught in the feed worm of the machine. The danger that the operators fingers may be caught in l the Worm of the machine has been reduced somewhat in late years by the adoption of a lever feed which was intended to discourage and prevent the use of the fingers in feeding the meat or other matter through thechopper, but even this lever feed did not entirely Veliminate the practice of forcing the meat'or other matter'into the chopper with the lingers. 't- Was found Athat the operators in their desire for speed of operation would poke the meat down into the neck of the machine with their lingers, even While they were using the lever feed, and this practice resulted in injury to their fingers. Y,

v VThe main purpose of the present invention is to provide means whereby the lingers of the operator of a food chopper provided with alever feed are prevented from coming into contact with the feed worm of said food chopperwhen said food chopper is in operation, and brieiiy described the invention Y comprises a movable guard which is capable of being moved to a position Where it is .located adjacent to .said feed vrorm to prevent access thereto. The movable guard mentioned is cooperatively connected to the lever feed of the machine in such manner that when the plunger which is associated With said lever feed is in a lowered position the movable guard is Withdrawn from its position adjacent to the feed worm, but when said plunger is in a raised position so that the operator may insert his lingers into the machine said guard is in a position adja centto the feed Worm, thus preventing the lingers of the Operator from being moved into Contact With said feed worm.

lilith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel construction7 combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, n'herein is shown the preferred e111- bodimentof t-he invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come Within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. I is a side elevation of a food chopper provided with my improved safety device.

Fig. il is a view similar to Figi, showing the feeding mechanism and the safety device in a moved position.

Fig. III is a rear elevation looking in the direction indicated by the feathered arrow in Fig. I, a portion of the lever of the feeding mechanism beng broken away.

In the drawings, A designates a food chopping machine which comprises a housing having a grinding or chopping compartment B, a neck port-ion C and a food-receiving hopper port-ion D. The housing illustrated in the drawing is the usual housing which forms a part of a chopping machine of the type disclosed herein, and for that reason it will not be necessary to describe same in detail. Arranged in the grindiimr compartment B of the housing is a Worm E, said worm being supported in suitable bearings so that it may rotate Within said compartment. The Worm E is connected to any suitable driving means, such as an electric motor, a portion of which is designated by the reference character F in Figs. I and Il'. Located at the discharge end of the grinding compartment B of the housing of the machine is a disk Gr provided with a plurality of apertures H, and interposed between said disk G and an end of the worm E is afi-cutting device J. In the use of the maehinelnri-etly described the meat or other vt'ood to be chopped is placed in the hopperI D and is fed from there into and through the neck portion C ofthe housing. r)The matter being chopped passes from Y portion C ot' the housingvr into the grinding compartment B ot thehousing, wherein said matter is forced toward the discharge end otsaidcompartment B by the worm E. The

matter being chopped is then toi-ced 'through the apertures H in the disk {l- Vw/l-iereby sai-d matter is divided into a plurality of individual bodies7 each of which ifs periodically severed'by the cutting device J which rotates withthe' worin E. The tore going is a very bri-et description oit the chopping machine and its operation, but as Vthis machine land its operationare well known it is not believed to be necessary to describe the same further.

Referring now to the mechanism 'for feeding the Ine-at or other matter into the' chop- )ino machine. The ho oer D of the housl e A tion N.

lever lli provided with a laterally extending por- The leverld is `capable et bei-ng swung-to ka position-where i-t is parallel with and rests upon-the'upper edge ot' the hopper D of thefhousing. of the machine in which position the extension N will extend downwardly intov the neck portion C of said housinggas shown in Fig. II. Prvotally secu ed to the extension N is a plunger' P, said plunger being substantially the same di.-

ameter as the interior Yof the neck portion Cof the machine housing. The plunger P is' provided with an upwardly extending portion P', which is intended for a purpose to *be hereinafter set forth.

In theruse of the feeding mechanism just described, the meat or other food matter to vbe* chopped is placed in the hopper D and 1n theupper portion oi the neck portion C ot the housing' A. "The lever M is then drawn downwardly so as to Vcause the plunger Pto move downwardly in the neclr port-ion ot'. the housing, and because the plunger is approximately the same diameter as the inside o -vthe' 'neck portion of the housing, vall ofthe meat therein'will be forced downwardly into the grinding conipartmentof the machine.

As altea'dysuggested, it has been found the uecl;

that operators ot chopping machine .such as the one described herein have made a lractice of poking the meat or other matter downwardlyinto the neck portion C of the machine housing with their fingers. and this was done in spite ot the tact that the machines were provided with Vlever feeds. The operators usual method of operation was to grasp the lever M with one hand and to feed the meet er other matter into the'neclt portion oi the housing with the other hand, and this feeding of the meat by hand vwas continued even while the lever ld wasbein'g drawn downwardly; that is. the

operator would continue to feed the meatVc into the neck` of the machine by hand until the lever M had been moved downwardly a sutlicient distance to make it impossible for the oi rater to get hisv lingers between the lower face of the plunger P Vand the top face 'ot' the lower wall of th-e hopper l). Thus it is apparent that there was always danger that the operator-s fingers might be brought into Contact with the worm E or" the inachine. The main purpose ot the present in- -vention is to eliminate the danger mentioned above. and the mechanism by which this purpose may be accomplished will now be described.

l designates a safety gate which is arranged immediately above the worm E, said gate preferably comprising aV iLJluralit-y1 of rodsQ which. pass through apertures 3 in the wall oi' the neck portion C oit the housing at the lower end or said neck portionE there beingl an aperture for each rod and said apertures being approximately the same saapeand diameter as said rods. Fixed to therear ends of' the rods 2 is a connecting member t, said connecting member being' provided withl a groove 5 which extends longitudinallyof t-he connecting member 4. Pivotally secured to the ears K at the points indicated by the reference character 6 is a biturcatedmember?, said biiurcated nember being provided with a kpin 8 which extends transversely of said member 7 from one leg of the biiurcated portion to the other leg thereof. Mounted on the pin 8 is Y an anti-friction roller 9. The lower end of the biturcated member 7 is provided with a `horizontal member l()Y which extends-into the groove inthe connecting member Li,

` shown clearly in Figs. I and H.

riherlower end ot the lever M Vis providedV with an enlarged portion ll. which is provided with a'car slot 12, and said enlarged portion ll is so arranged with respectY to the lbitureated'member 7 that the pin 8 and the ante-friction roller 9 associatedwith said bi-' is attached to the upwardly extending portion l of the plunger l). The endet the link 13 which is attached to the. portion P oi the plunger is provided with a slot lli through which a pin l carried by the portion P" passes. Y

The operation of my improved safety r e- 7ice is `as tollows:

Assume that the parts ot the machine are in the positions in which they are shown in It I and that the operator about 'to introduce meat or other food matter into the machine. lt will be noted that the gate i extends across the opening in the neel; portion C of the housing fr at a point immediately above the worm E, and because the rods 2 are in close proximity to each other, shown in Fig ill, it is apparent that it would be impossible tor the operators fingers to come into contact with said worm, even though said operator pol-:ed the mattei-.to be ground down into the neel; portion C of the housing with his fingers. rits-- suine that the operator has placed an amount of meat below the plunger i) and has started to move the lever M downwardl)7 to torce said meat into the grinding compartment oit the machine. lilhen the lever lll drawn downwardly the enlarged portion ll ot' said lever, together with the slot l2, will ,oit courseV move rearwardly. The rearmost portion ot the earn slot 1Q comprises a dwell 12:2

i ln other words, it is concentric with the ceuil O terabout which the portion ll pivots, and

for that reason the pin 8 and roller il will pass idlj,Y through said portion 12a. rlhe intermediate portion 12b of the cani slot lf2, ho'wever, is an active portion ot said cani slot, and when the wall 12C of said portion l2 contacts with the roller 9 the biturcated member T will be swung on its pivot so that the lower-most portion ot said member 7 will be moved rearwardly. This will draw the i outwardly to the position in which it is shown in Fig- Il, whereby the meat and plunger' P maj,T move downwardly in the neck portion@ ot' the machine without interference -from Athe gate l. After the roller 9 has passed through the intermediate portion lill ot the cam slot 12 the roller 9 enters a second dwell 12d, which will permit the lever M to continue its downward movement without ail'ecting the gate l.

lt is thus seen that the gate l. is in position adjacent to the worm ot' the machineI i when the lever is in its uppermost position. it is also apparent'that during the initial movement of the lever M' downwardly the gate remains in its original position, for during this initial movement is ma),7 be possible for the operator to insert his lingers into the machine However, after the lever has been moved to such position that the phinger P prevents the operator :trom insorting his fingers into the machine, the gate is immediately and quickly withdrawn 'from the neck portion of the housing, thus permitting the 'tree passage ot meat through said neel; portion, and because et the dwell l2 in the cam slot l2 the gate remains in its outward position during the lin-al downward movement ot the lever lil. During the upward movement ot the lever M the gate rcniains in its outward position until the lever has been moved to a position where it would be possible tor the operator to insert his lingers into the machine, when said gate in'unediatei)` moved to the position where it iu'events acte s to the worm ld.

rlie pulpo-e o'j the link lf3 is to prevent the il .nger l from being moved by the operator so that he may insert his lingers into the machine. the movenient ot said plunger heing limited to the length oi the slot l-l.

I claim:

l. .fr satetj,T device for a 'food-grinding machine l ing grinding mechanism, comslidable guard adapted to be moved to a position adjacent to said grinding niecluinism to prevent the hands ot the operator :trom coniii Y.; into contact with said grinding mechanism. i Y Q, ,lr satetj, device for a food-grinding machine having; grinding inechanif-:m coniprising a guard. said guard being capable ot being aritornaticall;Y moved int-o and out oi position adjacent to said grinding mech- 3. il, sa lctr device ttor a :lood-grinding machine having a worm for tending the food to be around, compi n.15 a guard, said guard heilig` movable into and out oit posi-v tion adjacent to said worin.

4l. fr salici;v device tor a food-grinding machine havingl a worm l'or feeding the. food to he ground, comprising a guar( said guard comprising a plurality ot rods and being movable into and out ot position adjacent to said worm.

"r satetjrY device for a Vfood-grindingir machine having a lever for Yfeeding the toed into the machine and a worin within said machine, comprising a guard moi/'able into and out oi' position adjacent to said worm, and means whereby said guard is cooperativelj,7 connected to said lever.

G. A satetg7 device for a food-grinding machine having a lever Jtor feeding the food into the machine and a worm within said machine, comprising a guard which includes a plurality ot rods, said guard being movable into and out oit position adiacent to said worin, and means whereby said guard is cooperativehY connected to said lever.

T. A. 'food-grinding machine comprising a housing, a worm within said housing, a lever for 'feeding Yfood to be ground into said housing, a lguard movable into and out of position adjacent to said worm, and a member loo cooperatively connected to said guard and vsaid lever whereby the movement of said lever may be transmitted to said guard.

8. A food-grinding machine comprising a housing, a worm within said housing, a lever for feeding food to be ground into said housing, a guard movable intoy and out of posi- -tion adjacent to said worm, and a pivoted member cooperatively connected to said guard and said lever whereby movement of vsaid levery may be transmitted to said guard.

9. A food-grinding machine Comprising a housing, a worm within said housing, a lever for feeding food to be ground into said housing, a guard movable into and out of position adjacent to said worm, and a pivoted member cooperatively Vconnected to said guard and said lever, said lever being provided with a cam face adapted to engage a portion of said pivoted member whereby movement of said lever may be transmitted 'to said guard.

10. A foot -grinding machine comprising a housing, a worm within said housing, a lever for feeding food to be ground into said housing, a guard movable into and outof position adjacent to said` worm, and a pivoted member cooperatively connected to said guard and said lever, said lever being provided with a cam slot and said pivoted membei' being provided with an element adapted to operate in said cam slot whereby movement of said lever may be transmitted to said guard.

11. AY food-grinding machine comprising a housing, a worin within said housing, a lever for feeding food to be ground into said housing, aguard movable into and out of position adjacent tosaid worm, 'and vpivoted member cooperatively connected to said gua-rd and said lever, said lever being provided with a cam slot having a dwell and `said pivoted mem-,ber being provided with an element adapted to operateiii said'cam slot whereby a portieri of the movement of said lever will be transmitted to said guard.

12. A food-grinding machine comprising a housing, a worm within said housing, a lever for feeding food to be ground into said housing, a guard movable into and out of position adjacent to said worm, and a `pivoted member cooperatively connected to said guard and said lever, saidlevei being provided with a cam slot havino` a Vdwell at each of its ends, and said pivoted lever being Vprovided with an element adapted to operate in said cam slot whereby that portion of the movement ofk the lever intermediate of the initial movement and the final movement thereof may be transmitted to said guard. V

13. A food-gi-inding machine comprisinga housing, a worin within said housing, ia feeding lever pivoted to said housing, a

plunger pivoted to said feeding lever, a linkV 

